The Blytheville City Council met on Tuesday with a lengthy agenda concerning multiple purchases and appointments/reappointments to various city commissions.
Other important items included the passage of two separate resolutions offerings bonds to finance different projects within the city. The first concerned the offering of bonds to finance the justice center improvements. The second concerned the offering of sewer revenue bonds.
In 2017 a special election was held in Blytheville concerning the issuance of bonds in the amount of $2,750,000 to finance the renovation and addition of the National Guard Armory into the Blytheville Justice Complex.
The city originally intended to sell the bonds to the federal government, however, the progress for that process has been slow. The city has now decided to sell the bonds to Stephens Inc. as the underwriter in order to accelerate the project's timeline.
In addition to the bonds for the justice complex, the council also voted to offer bonds in order to provide funds to improve the city's sewer system, specifically a new wastewater treatment plant.
The council also approved several purchases for various departments, including a utility tractor for the Public Works department in the amount of $24,000; a 2015 caterpillar model 420F 4AE backhoe/loader for the Waterworks department in the amount of $60,000; the lease/purchase of three 2020 Freightliner garbage trucks and one 2020 Freightliner knuckleboom trash truck, and the lease/purchase of a 2020 Freightliner roll-off hoist truck for the Public Works department in the amount of $169,598.
The council also approved several resolutions reappointing members to certain city commissions as well as new appointments to certain commissions.
Kristy Brasfield was appointed to the Delta Gateway Museum Commission. Phillip Koonce was reappointed to the Blytheville Housing Authority Board. Len Whitehead was reappointed to the Blytheville Baseball Facilities Board. Marty Orr and Vivian Harrison were reappointed to the Blytheville Planning Commission, and former Blytheville City Councilman Stan Parks was also appointed to the commission.
Mike Jacques and Steve Stevenson were reappointed to the Blytheville Airport Commission and Billy Curl was appointed to fill a vacancy in the commission after the resignation of Jason Austin.
Abby Houseworth-Whitener was appointed to the Blytheville Ritz Commission after the resignation of Melisa Logan.
gwilliams@neatowncourier.com